The third week of this study is about standing firm. We go to the Book of Daniel again as he displays great leadership in the first chapter. Week 2’s study offered some history of Daniel and how he was strong in problem solving. This week’s study comes from Chapter 1 and shows the Jewish dietary laws Daniel lived by. Daniel and his three friends were put into the Babylonian court servant “training program.” Part of the program was learning Babylonian customs, beliefs, laws, and practices. The eating habits of the Babylonians were not in complete agreement with the Mosaic law. As a result, Daniel asked if he and his three friends could be excused from eating the meat (which was likely sacrificed to Babylonian false gods and idols). Let’s see how Daniel stood firm in his beliefs and honored God by doing so.

Daniel 1:1-21
Daniel’s Training in Babylon

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god. Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility- 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service. Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.” Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.

What did Daniel do as a leader in this situation?

1.) He took initiative. Daniel made his problem known to the guard.

2.) He presented a plan to the guard. This was a reasonable plan that didn’t offer consequences to the guard himself only to Daniel.

3.) He went head on and rallied others behind him that believed in what he did.

4.) He handled the guard effectively.

What was the result? How did God honor them in standing firm?

The guard clearly saw that their eating habits were better for the health of all who were serving the King. He changed their diet immediately. God then gave knowledge and understanding to his four faithful servants. They went on to be ten times better than others serving in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom.

Let’s look at two verses from 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 6:12

“Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by anything.

1 Corinthians 10:23

“Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive.

Permissible is what we have the “right” to do and the “freedom” to do. Permissible is a bigger circle. Beneficial, however, is a smaller circle. As Christians we should be living more in the smaller circle of doing what is beneficial. In other words, we don’t do things because we can, but because we should, because they are beneficial. This often means denying ourselves certain rights and freedoms. This an area we as Christians need to stand firm about. If we expect to be leaders we should also expect our lives to always be on display. What things do you do that are permissible, but not beneficial?

One way to decide what is beneficial is to ask “what will I wish I had done on judgment day?”

2 Corinthians 5:10 says, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Who’s going to appear before the judgment seat of Christ? “We all” every last one of us. At that time, what will you wish you had done more of? We all will wish we had made our decisions not on what was permissible, but on what was beneficial. Here is a phrase I’ve always liked “Keep one eye on today, and one eye on that day.”

Another saying goes like this, “When planning your life, start at judgment day and work back.” As Americans we like to take advantage of all rights and freedoms. But as Christians, we are to walk by faith, not by sight. Living by sight means living for today. But living by faith means living for eternity…looking ahead to judgment day. When you live by faith, the payoff isn’t so obvious today. The true payoff for living by faith comes on that day.

Some areas we American Christians need to take a hard look at include the following. As you read these ask yourself, “Am I making these choices in the ‘permissible’ or the ‘beneficial?’”

Our entertainment.
Our dating, marriage and divorce choices.
Our education choices. Our choices in how we use our time.
Our choices in how we spend our money.
Our choices in who we spend time with.

2 Thessalonians 2:15

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

As Christians we believe the many things God’s Word teaches us. We need to honestly look at ourselves and ask if we are standing firm and are holding to the teachings of God’s Word. Doing this will create a strong foundation in our leadership.

Exodus 14:13
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today.

Moses was clear about us not being afraid to stand firm in our beliefs. Our reward is great and there is no reason to fear standing firm in how God has instructed us to live. It is amazing how God’s timing is and how perfect his plan is. This study originally took place one month ago and since then I have had several situations arise that required me to stand firm. I relied heavily on what I learned and the outcome continues to glorify God. The next study is about men in brotherhood. How we as brothers in Christ should lead and to serve one another as well as God.

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 19th, 2007 at 5:49 pm and is filed under Leadership Study. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.